Dear Colleagues,
It has been a busy yet insightful week for NFDA and the automotive industry. On Thursday, we hosted the Driving Digital event which saw speakers discuss various current issues within the sector including electric vehicles and new brand entrants. Dale Wyatt, Director of Suzuki GB, provided insights from an OEM standpoint, a first for Driving Digital. Graeme Potts, Chief Executive Officer at Eden Motor Group, also gave his view on the changing landscape. You can find a full report on the event in the news. NFDA will share the full slide pack of the presentations soon.
Following Driving Digital, NFDA attended the AM Awards, a successful night for NFDA members! Winners included TrustFord and Waylands Automotive who were recipients of multiple awards during the night. A big congratulations to Stuart Mustoe, CEO of TrustFord for winning the Business Leader of the Year award and to John Clark OBE, group chairman of John Clark Motor Group for being inducted into the AM Hall of Fame!
On Tuesday, Northern Ireland's Infrastructure Minister, John O'Dowd, announced the introduction of one-year temporary MOT exemption certificates (TECs) to some private cars which will come into effect from 1 June 2024. The TECs announcement came as a disappointment to NFDA-NI, who acknowledge the intention of the Minister to assist consumers but see the measure not addressing the core capacity issue driving the MOT backlog.
Next week, NFDA will be attending the Financial Times - Future of the Car summit from 7-9 May. This three-day strategy-focused conference is essential for leaders navigating the intersection of traditional automotive practices and technology-driven disruption. Expect objective analyses of the industry's toughest challenges from visionary CEOs and thinkers. Find more details in the news on how to attend and use the code ‘NFDA’ to get a 20% discount.
